The joke's on who? World Handball Championships 2011

As an expat living in Sweden, I recently witnessed Australia’s opening match at this year’s 22nd edition of the World Handball Championships. That such an event exists may surprise the 90 percent of Australians who think handball requires nothing more than concrete squares and a tennis ball.

For the small remainder that have by chance stumbled across the game in the wee hours of Olympics coverage, or may even have experienced it live eleven or so years ago in Sydney, the fact that the tournament is currently taking place, or that Australia is competing, may surprise in equal measure.

Competing may be too strong a word. Australia is participating. In its opening game against Denmark, the 2008 European Champions, Australia was beaten by 47 goals to 12. This is the equivalent of a 70 point drubbing in rugby or a 20 goal thrashing in the AFL.

Australia has taken part in the last five consecutive World Championships for one first round win – against Greenland in 2003. It has ranked 24th out of 24 competing nations on four occasions and is hotly tipped to repeat the feat this year.

So, is Australia the tournament’s comic relief? And who is the joke on here? Certainly not the 6,500 Danish fans who filled the arena to loudly cheer every shot in their nation’s opening encounter, but who were at all times respectful and gracious towards their southern competitors.

Nor the Australians themselves, most of whom are “European immigrants who play in a kind of hobby league” according to the tournament’s (erroneous) official magazine, for who would not take any opportunity available to proudly represent their country on the world stage. All power to them, particularly since they are paying their own way to compete.

If anyone, the joke is on the International Handball Federation, which has ritually sent the Australians to their slaughter on a biennial basis in some warped attempt at internationalising the game. Many consider the European Championships to be a more difficult contest to win, because there are no “easy” games in a tournament involving only the best 16 nations in Europe.

While it might be noted that many Europeans have similar views towards the football World Cup, in this instance they might just be right. Here in Sweden, only 14 Europeans countries have been joined by a rag-tag bunch from South America, Northern Africa, East Asia, and of course Australia.

The official guide on Australia again: “qualification in Oceania usually isn’t a real problem for them.” Not surprising when that competition consists of New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

But back to the game. Australia was at least competitive in the opening exchanges, and managed to hang on to trail 20-8 at half time. The second half saw the taller, stronger and vastly more experienced Danes move away, as the speed and intensity of the competition took its toll. The score may have been worse save for the fact that Australia ate up significant periods of the game time in the vain search for a gap in the red and white wall blocking its path to goal.

Not all was doom and gloom. The Australian support (family, friends and the odd exchange student) took everything in good humour, while on the court, some time-eating possessions and four strong solo goals saw the Australian Bevan Calvert named Man of the Match.

One of a handful of Australians plying their trade in lower leagues overseas, Calvert plays in the German second division. A political decision? Perhaps, but no one in the stadium seemed to be complaining. And how many of us can say we have been judged best on-field while competing at the world championships?

Good luck to Calvert and his team-mates over the coming week. It is clear they’ll need it.

Results:
Denmark 47
Australia 12

Australia 18
Serbia 35

Australia also plays Romania, Croatia and Algeria in Group C. The almost inevitable 23rd/24th playoff takes place on 23 January 2011.